


Multiplicity

by suluismyspirit



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Adventure, Annoyed Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Clones, Confusion, shinanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 04:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15941348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suluismyspirit/pseuds/suluismyspirit
Summary: Spock and Kirk come up from an away mission only to find that something has gone wrong with the transporter.This is an RP between myself and an old friend. I rediscovered it and thought, hey, this was a pretty good short story.So I decided to put it on here, even though I need to come up with and ending to it.





	1. Chapter 1

The mission to the planet they were on was meant to be a quiet affair. Halfway through a rather uneventful week, the crew of the Enterprise, to their pleasant surprise, had discovered a new one and were about to form a small away team so they could beam down there. Quietly observe the natives, research and document wildlife...nothing like the chaos that had happened on Nibiru. They should have known that nothing on this mission would EVER be uneventful.

Kirk and Spock were the first to arrive at the transporter room for the second time that day. Earlier they'd seen some interesting plant life as well as alien creatures that some of the science officers onboard were quite excited about documenting. Said science officers had been debriefing Spock about their newfound discoveries (meaning a rather one-sided and heated conversation) for the last twenty minutes, leading Kirk to be beamed down first by Ensign Charlie- under the watchful eyes of Mr. Scott.

"Spock, you coming?" Jim asked, calling him through his private communicator.

Spock had listened with his usual patience to the science officers report, correcting them as needed on many of their incorrect assumptions. Predictably, Jim Kirk had become impatient, transporting to the surface ahead of the science officer. Eventually the two scientists concluded, one of them roping Scotty into a discussion about containment of some sort. Spock didn't hear the specifics as Kirk was speaking over the comms'.

"On my way now captain." He replied, walking over to the transport pad. He nodded at Ensign Charlie, and moments later was looking at Jim on the planet. "I apologize for the delay captain." he stated, moving forward, ready to continue on the mission.

Back aboard the ship, Ensign Charlie sighed with relief, turning and walking out of the transport room. Behind him there was a short spark, the transport pad glowing again. Down at the planet, behinds the two officers who were walking away, a silent glow was slowly forming, a form solidifying within.

"Not a problem, Spock," Kirk said casually as they began walking away from the site, taking note of things. It really was an interesting planet- no significant animal signs yet but definitely a lot of new plant life. The captain decided he would make small talk with his first officer and friend. After all, nothing weird or dangerous had happened yet- so he thought- and it would considerably lighten the mood. "So what do you think about this place?"

Spock looked around the planet at Kirk's question. "It may hold significant scientific discoveries." He answered, walking along with Jim. "Perhaps this mission will turn out to be less 'eventful' than the last." Spock would like to have a purely scientific mission, rather than what seemed to be a reoccurring theme of running and surviving dangerous natives.

Meanwhile, McCoy had been wandering around the Enterprise after his shift, intending to take a small break before retiring to his quarters for the afternoon and going back to work that evening. It had been a rather long day with all the new specimens the science officers had acquired for testing, but it had all been so interesting that he didn't feel the least bit burdened by it. He was, however, taken by surprise when he almost ran into Spock in the hallway. "Mr. Spock. What are you doing here? I thought you were on that scouting mission with Jim.

Spock3, a few moments earlier, had walked off the transporter pad, brow furrowing in puzzlement as he looked around at the empty room. It was odd he could not remember coming here. He was due on shift, however. He determined it would be prudent to see Doctor McCoy about this lapse in memory, though it would have to wait until after his duties were complete. He had been heading toward the bridge when McCoy nearly collided with him. "I have not been scheduled on any away missions doctor." He replied, in response to McCoy’s query.

Back at the transport site, Spock2 appeared, looking around in confusion for the captain. He could see no reason why the captain would not wait for him, he hadn't been so long it beaming down after all. He tilted his head slightly, noticing the multiple footprints in the dirt.

There wasn't a sign of struggle, but perhaps Kirk had been coerced into leaving, and not been able to contact the ship to warn them. Frowning, he began to track the footprints, proceeding with caution.

Back outside the transporter room, McCoy deadpanned, eyebrows raised so high they could have touched the ceiling. "Yes you have, I talked to Jim just before he left!" He gestured towards the hallway in the other direction, towards the transporter room. "In fact, I could have sworn I saw you going that way myself just ten minutes ago- never mind, I'll call him myself." The doctor grumbled, not really thinking that much of the matter and deciding he'd finish filing the report he was currently working on- he preferred being able to write without interruption- before checking up on Jim.

Back on the planet, Kirk nodded in silent agreement with Spock's statement. Though the Vulcan definitely had superior knowledge pertaining the sciences he definitely understood the appeal and excitement of discovering a completely new planet. The captain smiled at the sight of Spock some eight or ten feet away, engrossed in some kind of flower and looking extremely pleased (well, that’s how Jim imaged he would look if the Vulcan allowed himself such emotion)- how Sulu would love this. He also agreed though- however much he loved action- that for once being able to walk around in a new place _without_ being chased by natives who wanted to blast his crew straight into oblivion was the best thing he could ask for.  
"I hope so. We've been running around an awful lot lately..." Kirk trailed off, noticing the sound of getting closer to him from behind before someone spoke, startling him. He whirled around, expecting to see Bones or some other officer who might have beamed down for some new developments but the last thing he expected to see was- "What the- what was that for, Spock? Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Meanwhile, his communicator started beeping (so much for that thought of a peaceful walk), McCoy's voice coming through the speaker. "McCoy to Kirk- Jim? Everything okay down there?" Jim froze, staring disbelieving at the sight before him. He had looked back to where Spock had been and had found… Spock! The Vulcan was right in front of him _and_ still half crouched over by the flower he’d been inspecting.

Two Spocks? How was this even POSSIBLE? "...Kirk here. Um..." He paused, wondering what he should say to Bones at this moment. "I'm okay. You'd better get to the transporter room, I'm on my way back.

Spock3 frowned at the doctor, puzzlement crossing his face once more. He chose to follow the doctor as he'd said he would contact Kirk himself. Spock was interested to see how this particular incident would play out. Certainly he had no recollection of being scheduled for a mission, as he'd informed the doctor.

On the planet, Spock2 had finally caught up to the owners of the footprints and was surprised to find Jim going about the mission in no distress at all. "Captain, I was not trying to 'sneak up on you' at all." He stated, frowning deeply as he saw what was, most obviously, himself standing not too far away. Spock1 was currently paying attention to some sort of flower and was only now turning around to see Spock2 with Kirk. "Fascinating." Spock2 said, one eyebrow raising.

Spock4 stepped off the transporter pad, walking over to the console to pick up a datapadd that had been laying there. Reading it, he left the transporter room, heading off to engineering while correcting some of the equations on the pad.

."...Three to beam up," Kirk muttered to Scotty over his communicator, choosing to ignore the Scotsman's "Jim? What do you mean, three!? Who's with you over there?".

Presently the captain turned to Spock2, eyes flickering between him and Spock1- Spock. Whichever one was Spock anyway. "What is this?" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How are there two of you?" He admitted he _had_ heard of an incident where there was some weird fluke with the transporter and it literally split someone into two personalities, but duplicate people (or Vulcans) who seemed to all have the same personality _and_ attire? Kirk didn't even know where to start.

He shook his head, making his way over to Spock1 and letting him know about their new...companion, though the Vulcan was well aware, and the change of plans. This hadn’t happened the first time any of them had beamed down to the planet, so the best thing to do was go back to the Enterprise and try and pinpoint just when this whole thing had started, and hopefully what the cause was.

Kirk made a mental note to himself that after everything was back to normal, he'd make sure Spock got the quiet mission (or just flower-viewing day?) he always wanted. (He was ignoring the obvious projection of his own displeasure at interrupted peace.) As soon as Scotty locked onto their signals and transported them back onboard the Enterprise, maybe they could get down to brass tacks and start figuring this out.


	2. Chapter 2

After the gently light of the transporter faded, the captain, who thought he would be met with Bones and Scotty alone, instead saw the two of them and another Spock standing beside them in his usual stance. The look on McCoy's face was priceless. "You have GOT to be kidding me."

Spock1 and Spock2 looked at the third Spock, each tilting their head slightly and raising an eyebrow. As far as was apparent to them, they were identical, in both their appearance and attitude. Spock2 spoke up, looking at Scotty. "Has there been any system malfunctions?" It could not have been anything down on the planet, as he had not been down there at all.

"It could have been something in the atmosphere of the planet that caused a problem with the transporter." Spock1 said a moment later, brow furrowing as he looked at Spock2.

"I have neither been to the planet nor in the transporter." Spock3 added, frowning at the other two.

“How could I have been, for lack of a better comparison, copied in such a fashion if neither of these things is true."

It was quickly becoming apparent that each Spock thought _he_ was the original. Each of them had their own logical standpoint to that and were each eyeing the other in a way that might be mistrust or careful calculation.

Down in engineering, Spock4 was lecturing a hapless ensign who had written the incorrect formula's on the datapadd.

"We don't know exactly what it is, Mister Spock," Scotty looked between the multiple Spocks with an expression of confusion. "Nothing was interfering with our sensors when we first landed on the planet, so I can’t yet know what's causing it, sir!" He and Kirk shared a look, the latter looking over the transporter controls himself. "Then it must have happened after I beamed down because so far only Spock seems to have been duplicated," the captain said. Jim turned presently to face the three Spocks, brows furrowed as he rubbed his temples. "Where were you- well, each of you- from before we beamed down to the planet until now? We need to make a note of this so we can retrace our steps, find out what we missed."

The three Spock's looked at each other briefly, as if silently communicating which one of them would speak first. After a moment, Spock3 standing next to Scotty spoke up. "I have not left the ship. From my perspective, I came to the transporter room, and then left. I then came across doctor McCoy and he called you. Then mister Scott arrived and the three of you transported up from the surface."

Spock1 spoke next, explaining how he had watched Jim transport down while he'd been listening to some explanation from some scientists and had shortly followed him down to the planet.

Spock2 nodded his head. "I remember listening to the scientists as well, but when I arrived on the planet you were no where to be seen, though the delay in my departure was no greater than this one’s." He commented, indicating Spock1.

There was a short chirp as the coms came on, Spock's voice coming over the speakers. "Captain, there seems to be an problem with one of the Ensigns here in engineering. It appears he has entered a strange formula into the transporter system."

Spock2 frowned as he listed to the message, that was without a doubt his voice. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he noticed the transporter pad lighting up. After a moment it dimmed again, and as far as he could tell nothing had happened.

Down on the surface, Spock5 looked around in confusion for Kirk. There were footprints leading away and back, though there were far too many for it to have just been Kirk. He reached for his communicator, flipping it open and opening a channel to Kirk. "Spock to Kirk. I have arrived on the planet. What is your location?" He was not yet concerned, though he did find it odd that Jim would have wandered off without him. Unsurprising was the thought that Kirk had found two other people on the planet. Even for a human, the man had a knack for finding trouble.

Kirk listened to each of the Spocks' explanation, noting how McCoy was pointedly trying to avoid looking at the multiple Vulcans as he too tried to come up with an explanation for their current dilemma. Just as he was about to reply, his communicator gave off a steady beep, alerting the captain that there was an incoming message. "I'm back on the Enterprise, Mr. Spock," he said, rubbing his face as he spoke to the (other?) Vulcan. "There's a situation going on, I'm going to need you to take a look." Kirk waited for Spock5's affirmative before turning back to the rest of the group in the transporter room.

"Okay," he nodded, attempting to wrap his mind around the gravity of this particular problem. "Mr. Scott, go to Engineering, find- Spock- and try to figure out what formula was entered and what went wrong with it." The Scotsman gave a nod before leaving; Kirk turned to Spock as he spoke, despite finding that looking between the multiple Spocks (which one should he have looked at?) was quite unsettling. "Turn on your communicators and open a channel to mine. You don't have to say anything, I just want to try something."

"Captain, I fail to see how this would benefit-"

"Just do it," Kirk interrupted with an exasperated sigh. He waited as each of the Spocks did as he asked, one at a time; he had expected to get an incoming message from one "real" Spock and find that the others might be impostors (or clones, both terms he did not like) but instead, every single communication from the Vulcan was sent to the same communicator, his, and they all connected into the same call. This could only mean one thing.

"Doctor McCoy, I'm going to need to you to gather the rest of the senior science and medical officers, and escort Spock to Medbay. We're not dealing with five Spocks- they're all him, just split in different ways." The captain's brows furrowed at that thought- if Spock's personality was indeed split, was the logical side of him parsed between his five "selves", or would each of them grow to have different "personalities" during their quest to find a solution? For now, he could only wonder.

On the planet, Spock5 was somewhat befuddled by the new tone in Kirk's voice over the comm. He could not place what it was, not could he decipher what could have gone wrong in the few moments between his leaving the ship and arriving on the surface. There appeared to be no explanation for how Jim had gotten back aboard the ship in the meantime. He gave his affirmative, waiting patiently to be transported back aboard the Enterprise.

Spock5 had little expectations as to what he might find the problem to be, but running face to face with three other versions of himself was not one of the situations he had considered. He lifted an eyebrow at the other three before turning his gaze onto the captain, then to the control panel that began to spark. Spock2 hurried forward, brow furrowed as he stepped up to the panel, ignoring the sparks and little curl of smoke that began to rise. Spock1 joined him, the two working together quickly on the consol. One of the pads on the transporter began to glow, Spock3 and Spock5 stepped back and turning to watch.

It activated, the circles of light indicating a transport beginning to flare, but the two Spock's managed to stall and cancel the activation. Spock1 looked over at Kirk as he stepped away from the consol. "I have managed to stop the transporter from activating, but it will not be a permanent fix. My alternate self stated that a formula was entered incorrectly at some time. Given our current dilemma, it is likely it was entered at the time of my initial transport to the surface. The formula itself, and the effects of the formula, will need to be found, isolated, and corrected."

Spock2 interrupted then, an expression of irritation on his face as he looked at Spock1. " _We_ stopped the transporter. And it will need to be monitored so that more of us do not appear."

Spock5 and Spock3 observed Spock2's reaction with fascination, though Spock5 felt a bit of unease. It was disconcerting to see himself show emotion so blatantly. Any further debate was delayed by the arrival of Doctor McCoy. All of the Spock's willingly followed McCoy to the sickbay, though Spock2 seemed less pleased by the prospect.


End file.
